THE VINE BLIGHT.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XIII, Issue 6, 7 January 1878, Page 2

THE VINE BLIGHT.

To the Editok of the ' Evening Mail.' Sir— As the grape blight (Oidium Tuckeri) | seems to threaten the destruction of the I grape crop this season, I am desirous of making known a remedy I have found efficacious in checking its progress, so far at least as outdoor culture is concerned. About a fortnight since I discovered' two "of my vines affected by the mildew. The effect of this parasitic mould upon the fruit is most remarkable.. It spreads rapidly over its whole surface, acting detrimentally upon the skin only; the soft fleshy jnterjor goes on expanding, but the infected skin having /ost its vigor ceases to expand in proportion, so that > tbe berry becomes ruptured, and either dries | up or ro,ts.. Dusting with sulphur is the usual remedy Kesorfcs to but I believe with very partial success. The piau I adopted is the following;— Haying shut np the house closely I placed sawdusfc »pout an isch deep

in shallow vessels (ordinary dinner plates will do as well), and saturated it thoroughly with carbolic acid, adding to each plate about a teaspoonful of creosote. The plates were placed full in the sun's rays, and the house was soon redolent with the fumes. The first noticeable effect was that the spiders, fleas, and other insects quickly cleared out; in two days the fungus began to dry up, and in a week its progress seemed entirely arrested. I found it necessary to re-saturate the saw dust as it dried up, and as prevention is better than cure I still keep up the process in a milder degree. I have no outdoor vines affected as yet, but should they become so I shall try the effect of syriuging them with a weak solution of the carbolic acid. I am, &c, Robert M. Sunlet. Nelson, Jan. 7, 1878.